On 28 October, the Czech Republic marks its National Day, commemorating the founding of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918. On the occasion of this significant date, we spoke with His Excellency Jan Bondy, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Serbia.

In the interview, he talked about the meaning of the national holiday for the Czech people, the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries, growing economic cooperation, Serbia's European perspective, as well as future projects in the fields of culture, education, and youth exchange.

The Czech Republic Marks National Day On 28 October. What does this date mean for the Czech people, and how is the friendship between Serbia and the Czech Republic developing today?

"On 28 October, the Czech Republic marks its National Day in memory of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918. This date symbolises freedom, sovereignty, democracy, and the determination of our people to manage their own affairs independently.

Our bilateral diplomatic relations date back to 1918 and are described as traditionally close and friendly. Political dialogue is frequent, economic cooperation is on the rise, alongside strong cultural and educational ties. The Czech Republic is an active and consistent advocate for the European perspective of the entire Western Balkans and Serbia's path towards EU membership."

Economic cooperation and investments

Economic relations between the two countries are recording steady growth, and the presence of Czech companies in Serbia is increasingly visible.

Which specific achievements in Serbian-Czech cooperation would you highlight from the recent period, and where do you see the greatest opportunities to further strengthen these ties?

"We are proud to witness the steady growth of the presence of Czech investors in Serbia. Recent examples include the opening of a new logistics centre by JUSDA Europe in Zrenjanin and additional investments by companies already operating in Serbia, such as the investment by Czechoslovak Group in the '14. oktobar' factory and the acquisition of Beohemija by CE Industries.

Dr. Max has grown into a leading pharmacy chain in Serbia, further confirming the success of Czech companies in the Serbian market. You can see Škoda cars, manufactured in the Czech Republic, almost everywhere.

A particularly topical issue is the preparation of special visa arrangements for Serbian lorry drivers. The Czech Republic understands Serbian requests in this regard and is working closely with the Serbian authorities to find mutually beneficial solutions."

What advantages do Czech companies see in doing business in Serbia, and which examples of successful investments can encourage further investment?

"Czech companies recognise that the Serbian market is still less saturated than certain other markets within the European Union, offering significant opportunities for further growth and investment.

We have much to offer, drawing on long-standing experience in Serbia, an understanding of the local business environment, and a close familiarity with the local culture.

In addition to the examples already mentioned, we should highlight the role of the PPF Group in the Serbian telecommunications sector (through Yettel, as well as Škoda Transportation), alongside the success of Czech developers operating in the country. Projects such as Marina Dorćol, developed by SEBRE, contribute to shaping the modern face of Belgrade and represent an excellent example of Czech expertise, innovation, and investment potential.

Taken together, these success stories demonstrate the strength of Czech-Serbian economic cooperation and provide a solid foundation for its further development."

Culture, education, and youth

The bonds between the two nations are built most enduringly through culture, knowledge, and youth exchange.

Which joint projects in the fields of culture, education, and youth exchange would you like to see developed in the coming period?

"When it comes to culture, the Czech Republic opened the Czech Centre in Belgrade in November 2024, which I believe creates numerous opportunities for future cultural and educational activities between Serbia and the Czech Republic.

There is also great potential for further regional and municipal cooperation, such as partnerships between twinned regions and cities across various fields. Last year, Czech delegations from the Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions visited Banat to explore further cooperation with Serbian regions. Another excellent example is Brno and the South Moravian Region, which collaborate closely with Kragujevac and Novi Sad, leading many Serbian students to study in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, the Faculty of Philology at the University of Belgrade, which marked 100 years of Czech studies last year, maintains excellent cooperation with Czech universities.

I believe this provides Serbian students with many opportunities both to learn the Czech language and to put it into practice. An important message for Serbian students is that public universities in the Czech Republic continue to offer tuition-free education, provided they enrol in programmes taught in the Czech language."

Serbia's European Path

Serbia's path towards European Union membership requires reliable and verifiable indicators of progress. For this reason, EUpravo zato launched EUmeter, which tracks the fulfillment of obligations by Serbian institutions in the European integration process.

How important are such measurable indicators for monitoring reforms and recognising Serbia's concrete progress on its path towards EU membership?

"Measurable indicators are crucial for monitoring Serbia's progress towards EU membership because they provide an objective way to assess whether reforms are being implemented and whether they are producing results. Initiatives like EUmeter contribute to transparency, accountability, and informed public debate by tracking progress against established goals and benchmarks. They enable both Serbian citizens and EU institutions to notice achievements, identify areas requiring additional effort, and evaluate reforms based on evidence rather than perception. Transparent monitoring supports a more efficient accession process and helps ensure that reforms bring real improvements to governance, the rule of law, and the daily lives of citizens.

Successful European integration is measured not only by the opening or closing of negotiating chapters, but also by the degree to which reforms strengthen democratic institutions, economic competitiveness, and the quality of life for citizens. Transparent monitoring initiatives, such as EUmeter, can therefore contribute to both a better-informed public debate and a more effective reform process."